A Utah family got a Christmas miracle when Santa paid their terminally ill toddler a visit.
Miles Agnew, 2, has been in hospice care for months with his health in slow decline, when he suddenly took a turn for the worse.
Last week ‘his little body went into shock and has started to shut down. We don’t know what happened,’ mother Michelle Agnew told ABC News.
Miles Agnew, 2, has been in hospice care for months and he suddenly got worse. He had the opportunity to sit on Santa’s lap for the last time
The visit to Miles, Hailey, 13, and Taveon, 11, was arranged by the Secret Sleigh Project
The Agnews adopted Miles when he was three months old. He was born with microcephaly, spastic quad cerebral palsy, and also has cortical vision impairment, intractable epilepsy, brain malformations and a feeding intolerance.
The Miles have two other children, Hailey, 13, and Taveon, 11.
On December 5, the Secret Sleigh Project arranged for Santa to pay the family a visit.
The organization works to provide children with medical illness and fragility all over the U.S. with the opportunity to meet Santa at home.
The Agnews adopted Miles when he was three months old. He was born with microcephaly, spastic quad cerebral palsy, and also has cortical vision impairment, intractable epilepsy, brain malformations and a feeding intolerance
‘Every child deserves to experience Christmas magic, even when homebound due to the difficulty of their care,’ the organization’s mission statement reads.
For Michelle, the day was magical.
‘With the turn in Miles’ health and trying to make more memories as quickly as we can we didn’t think we would be able to do our Santa visit,’ Michelle said
‘We treasure our time and our memories with our family so much. Although we have had so much heartache in our lives we try our hardest to keep moving forward.’
The Secret Sleigh Project works to provide children with medical illness and fragility all over the U.S. with the opportunity to meet Santa at home.
The Agnews have lost two other children due to genetic conditions. They adopted Miles almost two years ago
‘It brings more meaning to the Christmas season,’ The founder of the Secret Sleigh Project, Sarah Portillo, told ABC News.
‘It elevated my hope that perhaps we are all here to orchestrate small miracles, as long as we are open to the opportunity. I am very grateful that we were able to be a part of this family’s day, in some small way, and I will never forget it.’
The Agnews have lost two other children due to genetic conditions.
Jerry Bodily dressed as Santa and also said the visit was emotional.
‘Back in the 70s when I met my former wife, she had two daughters, her youngest had been diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and six weeks after we met, she lost her battle, so I knew what the family was going through. I can’t lie, I got choked up, and there was a tear in Santa’s eye, but this was for this family’s memory,’ he said.
Miles is now at Primary Children’s Hospital where his ‘pain and discomfort can be managed,’ in Salt Lake City.